Rava’s idea that “those who go to its left, it is a sam hamaves, an elixir of death” can be somewhat frightening. It means that it’s possible to be a meticulously observant Jew with an intense program of Torah study and still be headed in the wrong direction, or as we would say in today’s parlance, “off the derekh“….

How would this play out communally?

One possible outcome is that we would find a community of very committed, very observant Jews, but who do not show all the signs of the holiness the Torah is supposed to bring us to. This could happen if there is insufficient attention to the entire notion of a goal beyond the halakhah, so that black letter halakhah — that which can be measured, laid out in clear obligated or prohibited terms — takes center seat without any attempt to become the kind of person more capable of fulfilling the full breadth of its commandments. There would be mixed reports of business ethics, scandals of respected rabbis committing fiscal crimes, others unable to control their lust, yet others abusing their power over their students in other ways.

“Would a Pregnancy Through a Donor Egg Feel Like ’Mine’?” Speaking as someone who adopted thrice… It depends on your background and inclination. To us, it’s as relevant as which children were born naturall and which were by C-Section — it doesn’t touch the day-to-day relationship. But I have warned adoptive couples not to raise a child who can’t feel at home. If you’re thinking about “doing a chesed”, adoption is not for you. It’s not fair to the child to be raised by people being generous; adoptive parents should be as selfishly motivated as any other parent. (Insert detour into the introduction of Shaarei Yosher here. While that’s not my point, what I’m saying proves R’ Shimon’s.)

IVF-D is similar, but easier. IVF-H — I have no idea why the question would even come up about being able to bond with a child who is genetically both parents’.